UWF ROTC hosts its 14th Annual Argonaut Challenge

The University of West Florida Army ROTC Program recently hosted its 14th Annual Argonaut Challenge.

The annual competition for regional high school JROTC programs tests cadets physically and mentally, and further develops them as leaders and as team members. Twenty different teams participated in this year’s competition, bringing together over 200 high school students from local Army, Air Force and Navy JROTC programs. The full day of competition included a modified military physical fitness test, obstacle course and Humvee pull.

“This is our seventh or eighth year participating,” said Captain Charlie Code, NJROTC instructor at Northview High School. “The event changes every year, so the students have to adapt to the competition and really work together because they don’t know what to expect.”

The competition, organized and executed by UWF Army ROTC cadets who are working on becoming commissioned officers in the United States Army, gives high school students the opportunity to learn from senior cadets and discuss their options for pursuing higher education with the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps and the military.

“This is my third year supporting and supervising the Argonaut Challenge Competition, and each year these JROTC Cadets absolutely inspire me,” said Lieutenant Colonel Henry Delacruz, professor of military science, UWF Army ROTC. “From what I’ve seen from these cadets, the future is very bright on and off the field. Their dedication, determination and enthusiasm is absolutely phenomenal. The cadets of the Argonaut Battalion do an outstanding job putting this competition together and assisting the JROTC Cadets in their development of teamwork, esprit de corps, and sportsmanship. This is a super event for all that is involved.”

The below programs placed in the top three based on their performance across all events:
1st: Navarre High School Navy JROTC

2nd: Pace High School Navy JROTC

3rd: Tate High School Army JROTC & Murphy High School Army JROTC

For more information about the UWF Army ROTC program, visit uwf.edu/armyrotc.